Intestinal bacteria in drinking water affected 230,000

Coli bacteria in Erfurt drinking water

07/10/2012

Erfurt. Around 230,000 residents in Erfurt and the surrounding area are called on to boil the tap water. According to the health authorities, there is currently a contamination of drinking water with coliform bacteria that can lead to intestinal diseases. After bottlenecks have already started, supermarket chains have announced that they will be replenishing their water supplies to provide adequate water supplies.

Limit values ​​with intestinal bacteria exceeded
As reported by the Erfurt health authority, the limit values ​​for coliform bacteria were significantly exceeded. To reduce the bacterial contamination of drinking water, the Thuringian water company „Water GmbH“ the addition of chlorine increases. „As a result, the harmful pathogens are killed“, explained a spokeswoman for the water utility. Meanwhile, the Health Authority warned against the consumption of unboiled water from the water pipe. People in the city of Erfurt, in the districts of Sömmerda, Gotha, Henschleben, Döllstädt and Wandersleben, were particularly cautious, according to a spokeswoman for Stadtwerke Erfurt. The same applies to the district Molsdorf in Erfurt.

On Monday, routine testing in multiple samples measured elevated levels of gut bacteria. However, be „The burden is rather low, but for Kolibakterien a zero value is prescribed in drinking water“, explained the spokeswoman of the Stadtwerke. Those who take in bacteria in higher concentrations, for example, by water or food, suffers following abdominal pain and diarrhea. The cause of the contamination has not yet been found, but the coli bacteria indicate a fecal contamination of the water. The utility is currently testing the water network to get to the bottom of the cause. It would be conceivable that the germs were already delivered with the remote water.

Boil water for at least five minutes
In order to avoid stomach cramps, citizens in the affected regions should boil their water for at least five minutes with bubbly hot water before consumption. „This recommendation is not only valid for today, but at least until Thursday evening“, stressed the health department. So far, nothing indicates that even more Thuringian regions are affected except the region around Erfurt and Sömmerda, as the Stadtwerke spokeswoman said.

Info phone has been switched
So that citizens can inform themselves about the current state and ask further questions, an info telephone was furnished. However, the hotline of the Erfurt water utility was today completely overloaded and sometimes even unreachable. For this reason, the health department has installed a citizens' phone. The info hotline can be reached at the telephone number 0361-6554220.

Supermarkets are upgrading water supplies
Because on Monday quiet water in the supermarkets was sold out, the trade now upgrades. A spokeswoman for „tegut chain“ explained today, „We also got the message yesterday and prepare a special delivery.“ Other markets reported the same and want to buy additional water.

Some restaurants have begun to stop serving coffee to their customers. "In many restaurants, the coffee machines are connected directly to the water pipe, so pre-brewing is often not possible," said the spokeswoman for the Thuringian Hotel and Restaurant Association, Susanne Ritzmann. „Finally, restaurateurs are held liable for the illness of the customer, if it can be proved that the infection was caused by a dish of our shop“, explained Regine Keller, restaurant manager from Erfurt. Therefore, many of the restaurants would rather not offer food and drinks on the card that were treated with water.

What precautions citizens need to take now
The water from the faucet must be boiled for at least five minutes when the water is used to drink or to make drinks (including spritzers, tea and coffee). If the water is used to prepare food, the same rule applies, especially if the food is intended for the elderly, pregnant women, infants and the chronically ill. Even fruits and vegetables that are cleaned with water should only be washed with boiled water. Equipment, containers or vessels intended for the storage of food should also be washed only with water that has already been boiled

For medical operations, make sure that only boiled water is used. This is especially true in the cleaning of wounds, nasal irrigation and medical oral care.

Body care also possible without boiled water
„The body care (showering, bathing, brushing teeth) can be done with not boiled water, as long as the water is not drunk or gets into open wounds. For cleaning purposes, flushing the toilet, pet and livestock, no boil is required“, so the health office.

„Please also tell your friends and neighbors so that they can follow the precautionary measures if they do not know about the contamination of the drinking water“, so the final request from the health authorities. (Sb)

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Image: Sebastian Karkus